BOSU ball basics: 7 things to know about this ‘two-faced’ exercise equipment
June 05, 2026
Key takeaways
- BOSU balls are a piece of exercise equipment with a soft, round side and a hard, flat side.
- They are used to improve balance, coordination and core stability.
- Don't use a BOSU ball if you’ve just had surgery or have back issues, without a doctor's clearance.
- Don't use a BOSU ball without proper guidance and supervision if you have balance issues.
If you work out regularly at a health club or fitness center, you might’ve noticed an odd-looking piece of equipment tucked in among the free weights, yoga mats and kettlebells.
Called a “BOSU” ball or a “BOSU balance trainer,” this device has a soft, inflatable dome on one side and a hard, flat platform on the other.
But what are you supposed to do with a BOSU ball? Can it really make exercise more challenging? Should you try one?
Read on to learn more about BOSU balls, including how they can improve your workouts and who should avoid them.
What is a BOSU ball?
Invented around the late 1990s as an exercise tool, a BOSU ball is half a stability ball and half a round platform, smooshed together and attached on the flat side.
You can use it with either side facing up, which explains the acronym that forms its name: “BOSU” stands for either “both sides up” or “both sides utilized,” depending on who you ask.
What is a BOSU ball good for?
Primarily balance, coordination and core stability, though it can also be used for flexibility or other strengthening exercises.
There was a huge focus on core conditioning around the time that BOSU balls first came out. So, it was really attractive to people for a while. Core stabilizer muscles have to work harder when you’re on a BOSU ball than they do if you’re just standing on the floor, so they definitely add more of a challenge.
How many different ways can you use a BOSU ball?
The possibilities are pretty endless. You can stand on it, sit on it, kneel on it, lean on it or lie down on it. You can position yourself either face-up or face-down, if you’re lying on it. You can use it for push-ups, as a cushion for your rear while doing Pilates stretches, or as a platform to stand on while doing squats.
Personally, I’ve found it’s more fun to use a BOSU ball in a group or a class setting than it is to use one by myself. Part of the reason is so I can see how other people are using it and take what I learn from them to apply to my own workouts.
What are some of the most common exercises people do on a BOSU ball?
Squats, lunges, single-leg balance, planks and push-ups are probably at least somewhere in the top 10.
But the great thing about a BOSU ball is that whatever you’re doing doesn’t even have to be BOSU-focused to give you some benefit. Just standing on one to do a bicep curl makes you work a little harder.
Is a BOSU ball good for the knees?
With proper instruction, yes.
Is there anyone who shouldn’t use a BOSU ball?
You should not use a BOSU ball without your doctor’s clearance if you’ve just had surgery, or if you have back issues, like a herniated disc.
If you have balance issues, you should not use a BOSU ball without proper guidance and supervision.
I also wouldn’t put a beginner on the flat side right away. The flat side requires more experience.
What’s the one thing people should know about BOSU ball?
Don’t be intimidated by it. Try something new. It might be fun!
Corinna Medina is the program manager of Wellness Center Operations at UT MD Anderson.
Request an appointment at UT MD Anderson online or call 1-877-632-6789.
Topics
ExerciseJust standing on one makes you work a little harder.
Corinna Medina
Wellness Center Operations Program Manager